Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 555

December 20, 2010: Tokyo Travel Day #14! Bangkok Kitchen! Our day at the Ueno Zoo!

With our 100 000 yen dinners behind us, Ivon and I decided to shift focus to more casual eats, simpler drinks, and putting a little something aside for retirement.  And so, rather than have the concierge recommend something for us (the last "casual" lunch spot they suggested ended up costing us about $150 a head), we elected to go for a stroll and just go where the mood took us.  On this night, it too us to Bangkok Kitchen, a bustling Thai restaurant on a restaurant row just under the train tracks near The Imperial.  There, we enjoyed some pretty good pork skewers and fried fish, a less sweet version of pad thai than the one I'm used to back home (according to Ivon who worked at a restaurant back in the day, many North American places prepare pad thai with ketchup), and a very good green chicken curry with sticky rice.  Then, for dessert, we had two Moscow Mules and a couple of Kishi-san's special cocktails at Star Bar.

We wandered about the streets of Ginza for a while and, as usual, were approached by guys trying to hustle us into some of the local clubs. 

"For five thousand yen each, you can go to the club,"one guy explained on our first night.  "In the club, a girl will talk to you." 

Naturally, the prospect of a real live girl talking to me for only fifty bucks sounded great, but in the end I figured I'd put the money to more practical use.   Like booze and macarons.  Anyway, we ended up declining – as we always do – and the hustlers always react – like they always do.  No, they don't continue their hard sell.  Nor do they curse you.  Nor do they quickly move on to their next mark.  That would be so un-Japanese.  Instead, the moment you say not thanks, they immediately apologize and bow as though they've done something to offend, continuing to to mutter whispered apologies as you walk off into the night.  Half the time I feel so bad, I want to run back and tell them all is forgiven and, hell, you only live once so why not spend five thousand yen on some girl to feign interest in what you have to say.

Ginza at night

The next morning, we had a sushi lunch near the hotel (the same chain restaurant we'd enjoyed previously but far inferior to their Tsukiji Market counterpart), then headed off to Ivon's chosen "Destination of the Day": the Ueno Zoo!

Oishii fugu! I think.

The crowded streets of Ueno where I scored some awesome novelty gifts for Christmas. I would've picked up one of those flashy green leather jackets with the dragon on the back but Ivon wouldn't stop. Apparently, he didn't want to keep the giant panda waiting.

We stopped to catch some baseball action. I used to hate to play it as a good and now hate to watch it as an adult. Ivon, however, used to play (first base) and enjoys the game's glacial pace.

Interesting police box. It almost looks like a samurai helmet.

This guy wowed the crowd by blowing up balloons with his nose. I may steal his act and take it to Stanley Park.

Eventually, we reached the zoo.  Ivon could hardly contain his excitement at the prospect of seeing that giant panda.  We bought our tickets and – uh…oh…

To his credit, Ivon did not burst into tears on the spot and, instead, shifted all that excitement to the prospect of seeing the polar bears, a noble and no less worthy substitute.

Anyway, we walked around.  Saw a bunch of animals.  Snapped a bunch of pictures.  I found it all rather depressing.  Until I saw the snow monkeys!

Ultimately, our outing proved equally depressing for Ivon once he discovered that there would be no polar bears either.  Nevertheless, my buddy made do -

Tomorrow = our worst meal yet! 

Followed by one even worse!

December 19, 2010: Tokyo Travel Day #13! Ristorante Honda! Tokyo points of interest!

Last night, Ivon and I encoutered a first for Tokyo = spotty service.  And at one of the city's purportedly premiere Italian restaurants no less.  Under normal circumstances (aka – back in North America) these hiccups would've barely registered but here in Tokyo where chefs walk you out the front door to your cab and bar staff race each other to pull away your stool when you get up, it's hard not to notice.

Ivon and I had dinner at Ristorante Honda, a place recommended by several reputable dining sources (You know who you are).  When we sat down we were presented with the menu listing a couple of table d'hote choices on one side and the various course offerings on the left.  We were instructed to choose a table d'hote, and then select from  the various appetizers, pasta, and mains.  As I started to peruse the selection, I noticed he was still standing there, pen poised, awaiting our picks.  I suggested he give us a few minutes to decide, and ordered a campari (the closest you can get to the taste of poison without actually drinking poison) while Ivon ordered a bottle of sparkling water for the table.  Moments later, the waiter returned to take our order, set down our water glasses, poured Ivon some sparkling water, and walked off.  I had to reel him back to get him to fill my water glass as well.

Suave, no?

Amuse-bouche. A fantastic duo of whipped daikon and olive oil.

Hair crab salad. Very good.

Uni tagliolini. Great. I don't understand why the sea urchin/pasta combo hasn't found its way onto the menus of more North American restaurants.

Sea eel with foie gras and eggplant. Good but, to be honest, while I like all three elements, I'm not entirely convinced they work well together.

 The arrival of our dishes was somewhat erratic.  One plate would be set down and then, several minutes later, another would arrive.  We waited for our main to arrive while the couple beside us were served two successive courses, including THEIR main. 

Time flies when you're, uh, oh - we're not having fun?

We ordered coffee and were, again, in for a bit of a wait.  When the dessert arrived, Ivon requested his coffee.  Sure, sure.  We waited a while, then went ahead and started eating.  Our coffees arrived just as we finished up.

Chestnut mousse a la Honda.

The food was very good.  Just not quite sure what to make of the service.

After dinner, we made like your average Tokyoite and caught the metro back to our home turf.  On the way, I spotted this poster for what looks to be an awesome movie…

What's with the dude with the hat?

We walked off dinner with a stroll through Ginza and, eventually, coincidentally (?), found ourselves here…

We closed the place down.  Another Tokyo first.  We staggered back to the hotel, exhausted, and I crawled into bed – and spent the next two hours lying awake admiring the awesome (albeit ill-fitting) present Kanae had given me -

They're a little tight. But stylish!

I knew I shouldn't have had that damn coffee!

Fortunately, I'm on vacation.  And I happen to be vacationing with someone who matched me (more to the point, I matched him) drink for drink on the previous night.  So it wasn't until 11:00 p.m. that we touched base – and not until after 1:00 p.m. that we actually headed out for lunch.  On this day, it was Ivon's call… 

We ate at this American Diner where we happened to be the lone non-Japanese customers in the place. Great burgers. Mine was called the Double Devil Somethingorother and was served with habanero sauce and jalapenos.

After lunch, Ivon headed right back to the hotel for some more R&R while I took in the sights and sounds of Ginza…

Check out the line-up outside this exclusive nightclub. No, wait. That's not a nightclub. That's Abercrombie & Fitch. Akemi is a fan. She tells me that during the summer, the male staff wander about shirtless.

Which brings me to one of the things that continues to baffle me about the Japanese: their obsession with standing in lines.  On my last visit, a Japanese friend pointed out two Starbucks within a block of each other.  "Both are exactly the same,"she told me, "except that one always has line-ups and one is always empty."  Seems that nothing says quality like a good long queue.  On this trip, another Japanese friend confirmed this seemingly deep-rooted obsession.  On weekends, the cafe she works at sees line-ups that necessitate waits of up to an hour.  And, on several occasions, she's had customers step into the shop after a lengthy wait and ask: "What is this shop?  What did I just wait an hour in line for?"  In some cases, just the line-up is enough to convince them to line-up! 

Equally odd is the Japanese predilection for snapping photos of Christmas trees. 

Hell, the Christmas tree in our hotel see so much action, it's impossible to walk through the lobby without ruining a half-dozen snapshots -

   Still, there are certian Japanese passions I do share…

A pre-dinner snack.

Only two more days left!  Tomorrow, Ivon wants to go to the zoo!  For real!

Tagged: Ristorante Honda

December 18, 2010: Tokyo Travel Day #12! Muroi! Sort of Spanish! Desserts!

Whew!  Two more nights like the last one and I should be right back on Vancouver time.  So, late post today.  Hell, late everything.

Thanks to everyone who has offered up their thoughts, comments, and words of support re: SGU.  If this truly is the end, here's hoping that you – the best fans in fandom – join me on my next adventure/project/mangosteen-selling venture.  I know you have a slew of questions, but I won't be able to field them until I've returned to Vancouver and had a chance to speak with Brad and Robert who are presently also more or less incommunicado (Rob somewhere tropical, Brad somewhere military – an aircraft carrier I think it was).   

On to Tokyo things…

The other night, we hit Muroi in Ginza.  It`s a restaurant known for its wild mushrooms, so I made sure to have the concierge at the hotel arrange for us to enjoy a mushroom-centric meal. And, boy, did we ever.  The first half dozen dishes or so were all mushroom-centered, a variety of different offerings and preparations.   

One of the great mushroom dishes.

 We were served the above and, about partway through the dish, one of the kimono-clad waitresses leaned and said "Please, don't eat the soup."  Ivon and I exchanged uncertain glances.  Uh, why not?  I may have inadvertently gotten some on my mushrooms.  When we finished the last of the mushrooms, our dishes were whisked away.  Seconds later, they were returned with a helping of rice and barley to help soak up the remnants of the soup.  Ooooooh.

I enjoyed those first dishes but, to be honest, when I'd heard the restaurant specialized in mushrooms, I imagined the dishes would feature something else besides mushrooms (ie. mushrooms and chicken, mushrooms and fish).  At a certain point in our dinner, the kindly owner admitted it had been a  challenge to honor my request and prepare an all-mushroom meal.  Hmmm.  Clearly, we'd gotten our signals crossed.  He asked if we would like to have something besides mushrooms.  I could see the palpable sense of relief wash over Ivon.  Yes, I told him.  Something in addition to mushrooms would be great.

Sashimi. I'm a fairly adventurous eater and enjoy most things the average diner wouldn't even consider trying, but I have to admit I had a hard time with the tiny little fish in the front right. Note the adorable little eyes.

Muroi's chef and owner was perhaps the kindest host we've had on this trip. Even though he didn't speak any English, he continually communicated with us throughout the meal (via our lovely dining companion, Tomomi), inquiring about our likes, dislikes, and varied food interests.

The best fugu I've ever had. It's texture was almost chicken like.

As we were served the fugu, the chef informed us it had taken much time to prepare.  "To remove the poison,"Tomomi helpfully added.

"But there's no actual poison,"said Ivon.  "These are farmed fugu, right?"

"Oh, no,"said Tomomi.  "This isn't farmed."  Apparently, farmed fugu is for the lower end restaurants. 

Mushrooms with crispy shirako. Great dish. Ivon, for his part, was all shirako'd out, so he deftly switched off his serving to me when no one was looking.

Sansho. Love the numbing effect it has on the tongue.

Since we were drinking sake, we were offered a sample of a Japanese favorite enjoyed along with the drink: an intense fish paste. We were instructed to just dab the paste on our tongue, taste, then follow with the sake which would taste all that more sweeter by comparison. Boy, did it ever! The paste was apparently made of sardines that had been fermented for six years.

I was snapping pics of everything he was making and, at one point, he set this down in front of me. I took the picture and was about to dig in when Ivon informed me that the dish was actually intended for another group of diners. Then, of course, he instantly regretted telling me.

A truly awesome beef dish. It don't get much better than this.

The meal concluded with three small savories (pasta, risotto, and rice), and two desserts.  By dinner's end, we'd enjoyed approximately twenty different plates. 

A great meal and a great experience, mostly due to Muroi's chef and owner who made us feel at ease and welcome throughout.  As I told Tomomi (to tell him), my dining experience at Muroi was akin to enjoying a meal with my extended family (including, I suppose, that wonderful Japanese uncle who speaks no English but can cook and plate like no one else!).

We capped off the night with another visit to Star Bar.  I've decided that next time I come to Tokyo, I'm just going to stay there and cut out the middleman (a.k.a. the hotel).

The next day, we met another Marcolini Girl, Kanae, for lunch at a Spanish restaurant we'd been meaning to try.  Last week, we'd followed the great scent of paella up the stairs to the restaurant's second floor digs – only to be informed they wouldn't be open for another half hour.  So, yesterday, we returned, a little later in the afternoon, to enjoy that paella.  Alas, there wasn't much enjoyment to be had.  But it certainly smelled great!

Then, it was off to Midtown in Roppongi where we DID enjoy – some Henri Le Roux chocolates, some Jean-Paul Hevin macarons, and some Sadaharu Aoki desserts -

Kanae checks out my shades.

One of my favorite Tokyo desserts: The Bamboo (Sadaharu Aoki).

Ivon's Tarte Tatin. When it arrived, he threw his hands up and said: "Half of this is yours.". Moments later, after I'd finished up my dessert, I redirected my focus back to the Tarte Tatin only to find him finishing up the last of it. "Too sweet,"he insisted.

Le Plat de Degustation. Hits and misses.

Ivon and Kanae - all full of dessert.

Eventually, Ivon headed back to the hotel while I paid a return visit to the Mori Arts Museum with Kanae for a second viewing of the Odani Motohiko exhibition.  I took the opportunity to pre-order the special book the museum is issuing to commemorate the artist.  It'll be ready Monday, the day before we leave.

And another day draws to a close.

Tagged: Muroi, Sadaharu Aoki

December 17, 2010: Tokyo Travel Day #11! Ishikawa! Kobe Beef Kawamura! Tokyo Signs! Oh, and Stargate!

Well, damn.  Here I'd uploaded a blog entry last night, prepared to make some minor additions and post it this morning only to discover the breaking news of SGU's cancellation.  The first thing to tip me off something was up?  The 50+ comments awaiting moderation on yesterday's blog entry.  My initial thought was "Wow!  They really must've enjoyed that Tokyo Tower post!". 

Alas, it's true.  SyFy's official twitter announcement confirms it.  Stargate's run on SyFy ends with SGU's second season. 

It's disappointing but rather than dwell on the negatives, I'd prefer to focus on the positives.  I had a wonderful time working on the franchise, eleven great years, and this was mainly due to all the terrific people involved, past and present: my fellow writer-producers, the directors, editors, consultants, post and production personnel, the various departments from costumes to Visual Effects and everything in between, the cast and crew, our long-time supporters at MGM and SyFy, and all the fans who took the time to watch and, occasionally, comment (especially on this blog).  Thanks.

Anyway, I'll have more to say on the subject in my next entry.  For now, if you're interested, feel free to peruse the latest update on my Tokyo trip….

The other night, we went to Ishikawa for dinner.  A repeat visit for me.  Alas, there were other customers at the counter-seating so I didn't snap any pics.  BUT I did snap THIS pic of Ishikawa-san once our meal had concluded and I gifted him a bottle of Canadian ice wine.  Apparently, he's a fan…

As in several other places we've visited on this trip, Ishikawa-san and his manager saw us to the door then out into the street. As we walked away, I glanced back. They were still standing there, smiling and waving. Another ten steps. Still there, smiling and waving. All the way down the street, I hazarded another look before turning the corner. Smiling and waving.Afterwards, we hit a famous tea shop for - you guessed it - tea. Matcha for me.Ivon was thrilled to discover one of his fave rice teas.Moro-sand and Ivon in front of this cool art piece in the subway station.

I have never seen anyone more pleased with a tea purchase.

Us!

We ended the night…well, I'll let you guess…

December 11, 2010: Tokyo Travel Day #11! Ishikawa! Kobe Beef Kawamura! Tokyo Signs! Oh, and Stargate!

Well, damn.  Here I'd uploaded a blog entry last night, prepared to make some minor additions and post it this morning only to discover the breaking news of SGU's cancellation.  The first thing to tip me off something was up?  The 50+ comments awaiting moderation on yesterday's blog entry.  My initial thought was "Wow!  They really must've enjoyed that Tokyo Tower post!". 

Alas, it's true.  SyFy's official twitter announcement confirms it.  Stargate's run on SyFy ends with SGU's second season. 

It's disappointing but rather than dwell on the negatives, I'd prefer to focus on the positives.  I had a wonderful time working on the franchise, eleven great years, and this was mainly due to all the terrific people involved, past and present: my fellow writer-producers, the directors, editors, consultants, post and production personnel, the various departments from costumes to Visual Effects and everything in between, the cast and crew, our long-time supporters at MGM and SyFy, and all the fans who took the time to watch and, occasionally, comment (especially on this blog).  Thanks.

Anyway, I'll have more to say on the subject in my next entry.  For now, if you're interested, feel free to peruse the latest update on my Tokyo trip….

The other night, we went to Ishikawa for dinner.  A repeat visit for me.  Alas, there were other customers at the counter-seating so I didn't snap any pics.  BUT I did snap THIS pic of Ishikawa-san once our meal had concluded and I gifted him a bottle of Canadian ice wine.  Apparently, he's a fan…

As in several other places we've visited on this trip, Ishikawa-san and his manager saw us to the door then out into the street. As we walked away, I glanced back. They were still standing there, smiling and waving. Another ten steps. Still there, smiling and waving. All the way down the street, I hazarded another look before turning the corner. Smiling and waving.Afterwards, we hit a famous tea shop for - you guessed it - tea. Matcha for me.Ivon was thrilled to discover one of his fave rice teas.Moro-sand and Ivon in front of this cool art piece in the subway station.

I have never seen anyone more pleased with a tea purchase.

Us!

We ended the night…well, I'll let you guess…

December 16, 2010: Tokyo Travel Day #10! Hirosaku! Nodaiwa! Terrifying Tokyo Tower!

The other night, we continued our tour of varying Japanese cuisines by hitting Hirosaku in Shimbashi.  It's a family-owned and operated restaurant focusing on traditional dishes and high quality ingredients. 

"Is this a typical Japanese meal?"Ivon asked at one point.

"Yes,"my friend Jon replied – "for very wealthy Japanese families."

"This is how they ate in olden times,"I added.

"Yes,"Jon agreed – "if they were very wealthy families."

VERY wealthy.  But I get ahead of myself.

Armed with a map provided for us by our hotel concierge, we headed out on foot and promptly got lost looking for the restaurant.  We asked a helpful policeman, then wound our way around the neighborhood, stopping at the same spot to ask the policeman directions, then wound our way around to spot the same policeman awaiting our return.  Eventually, we asked some guy in an alleyway either stocking a store (or looting it) who was more than happy to direct us to a street we'd already covered twice – only to succeed in locating Hirosaku the third time.

Once inside, we were greeted by Mrs. Watanabe (who apparently remembered me from my last visit – Ohishashiburi desu ne?), and my friend and fellow foodie blogger Jon who calls Tokyo home (  http://iitokorone.blogspot.com/ - Can't wait to read the write-up on this one).

We took off our shoes (It's customary to hold a customer's shoes hostage until the bill has been paid) and were then directed up the steepest staircase I've ever hazarded -

Look out below! I made sure to steer well clear of Ivon who has, thus far on this trip, stumbled and almost eaten pavement on three separate occasions.

- and seated in a private room -

Jon and Ivon contemplate the serenity of our surroundings.

We chatted, drank some sake, and enjoyed a very nice meal…

A double whammy = Fugu Shirako! I wasn't expecting Ivon to partake, but he displayed his adventurous side and did. Shirako is an acquired (textural) taste but I very much enjoyed its preparation here.

Crab served in a - I want to say ponzu jelly (?) - topped with - I want to say lavendar buds (?). You'll have to check Jon's sight for the details. I believe this is one of Hirosaku's signature dishes. Very nice.

Ivon already knows that the Japanese word "ankimo" means "monkfish liver". Here, presumably poached and served with what Jon ID'd as a teriyaki sauce. It had the consistency of foie gras and was the best preparation of the dish I've ever had.

My picture of Jon snapping a picture for his blog. Meta, no?

Mouth-melting maguro and a much more texturally challenging flounder fin. Loved the maguro.

An elegant little soup containing tender abalone and a tofu made with the abalone liver that proved so subtle it possessed no discernible liver flavor I could detect.

Ivon in happier times (aka before being presented with the bill).

The sashimi course: crab and hirame (flounder).

Scorpion fish and - I want to say matsutake mushroom (?). According to our server, it's an ugly fish - but very delicious. Well, I can't attest to its ugliness, but it certainly was delicious. And the mushroom was a little revelation.

Ah, damnit! I can't remember the fish. I want to say snapper... Jon, a little help here.

We concluded the savory portion of our meal with Hirosaku's handmade soba. I enjoyed the soba, for their toothsome texture in particular. Ivon wasn't as enthused (nor were the two British girls we spoke to several nights back who complained about ordering Japanese pasta and having it served cold with no sauce).

The starchy remnants of the soba are served as well.

Good times!

For dessert - some terrific strawberries. And, no, you're unlikely to find strawberries this good at your local Whole Foods.

Our meal concluded, we braved the steep staircase to reach the main floor and reclaim our shoes.  When we were presented with the bill, I did a double-take, not sure I was reading it correctly.  Unfortunately for me, there was no linguistic divide here.  They were universal numbers, not letters.  Specifically, 107 000 yen.  By far our priciest meal yet.  In fact, I'd say probably my priciest meal in Tokyo ever.

We paid and headed out.  As we left, the family and staff gathered to see us off.

We walked and chatted amongst ourselves.  About halfway down the street, I glanced back – and they were still standing outside, waving.  I waved back and continued on my way.  About a minute later, I glanced back.  They were still standing/waving.  We eventually too a corner – but not before I turned and gave them one final wave.  Even though it's unlikely, I like to think that they're still out there, gazing happily down that empty street, waving.

After dinner, we followed Jon through a series of alleys to a sake bar located in another alley.  It's affable host recognized Jon immediately and welcomed him back for his second only visit to his establishment.

Our man Hideyuki

We were seated next to a table of four Japanese businessmen who had apparently been there a while.  One sat slumped in his chair, face down on the table, for the length of our entire one hour stay in the bar.  Another stumbled over at one point and attempted to recommend some sake but, sadly, proved too inchorent to be of any help.

Our neighbors. "You guys....you guys...you guys are the best friends I've ever haaaaad!"

Eventually, we let Hideyuki decide for us.  His selections -

All great. 

After a few drinks, we wound our way back through the streets of Shimbashi, dodging the gals on every street side and corner offering "massages".  If I was guaranteed I'd get an actual massage, I would have happily taken them up on their offers.  My feet were killing me!

The next day, we enjoyed a late sleep, then met up with my friend Moro-san (of Pierre Marcolini fame) for an unagi lunch at Nodaiwa (located, interestingly enough, right next door to Birdland in the basement of the Tsukamotosozan Building).  We all had the special Christmas set -

Eel on rice. Eating it was a three step process. Step one: eat the eel as is with the rice. Step two: sprinkle a little shaved yuzu and/or tiny diced onions on top and enjoy with rice. Step three: Transfer some eel and rice to a bowl, top with wasabi and nori, then add tea and eat. There was no official step four, but Moro-san called it dealer's choice and I went back to the yuzu and green onion step.

And some unagi tamago.

It was a simple meal but one of my favorites so far.  Perfection.  I'll definitely try to squeeze in a return visit before I leave, possibly to try some of Nodaiwa's special wild eel (they're one of the few places to serve it).

After lunch, we took Moro-san up on her offer to take us to Tokyo Tower in Shiba.  It was an interesting yet altogether terrifying experience.

It's called the Eiffel Tower of Tokyo, mainly because it looks a lot like the Eiffel Tower.

Moro-san snaps a pic. It's a long way up!

A looooong way up.  The glass elevator ride up to the observation platform was one of the most hair-raising experiences of my life.  The second we cleared the enclosure and were permitted a clear view of the rapidly receding ground below, I instantly regretted my decision to go.  Am I afraid of heights?  No, of course not.  It's not like Ivon's fear of small elevators and insects.  Afraid isn't the right word.  It's more of a medical condition that severely limits the strength in my knees once I rise past a certain height.  Anyway, the symptoms of my condition kicked in almost instantly.  I had to avert my gaze and assure myself that I would head right back down – and I would have if nor for the fact that, when the elevator doors slid open, the expanse of the observation deck looked a lot more solid and comforting than the prospect of an equally hair-rising elevator ride back down.

The terrifying view. I took most of my pics well away from the window. This one was the closest I got, with my right foot planted at the corner of the window while the rest of my body leaned waaaay back, my right arm extended to snap the photo. Ivon does a great imitation. Of course.

Look at him. So relaxed. And smug.

After walking the observation deck (hugging the far wall), it was time to head up to the SPECIAL observation deck at the top of the tower, about twice as high as the one I was standing on.  We headed up the stairs and, as we awaited the elevator to whisk us up, panic set in.  Well, not panic, really.  That medical condition I was talking about.  My palms were perspiring.  My heart was hammering.  I felt as if I'd downed six successive vodka shots.  And when the doors to that tiny elevator slid open to welcome us in – I bailed. 

Sorry.  Couldn't do it.  Ivon and Moro-san headed up for what was, by all accounts, an even more terrifying ride up to the next level, punctuated by a soul-shaking rattle that elicited an audible gasp from Moro-san.

Eventually, they made their way down and Ivon took the opportunity to check out the crazy lookdown windows -

If you ask me, this is just asking for trouble.

And this.

Afterwards, we finally headed downstairs where we took in one of the worst wax museums I've ever visited – which was rivaled by one of the worst haunted houses I've ever walked through (which included one of the worst 3D spectacles I've ever witnessed).

It's Julia Roberts from Pretty Woman! One year after the movie ends and she's been back on the streets a while.

It's the Beatles! Ringo looks so sad.

It's a bunch of crap from somebody's basement!

Settling in for the scintillating 3D spectacular.

We concluded our visit with sub-par sundaes from a place called Cafe Motherfarm.

 Today's entry is dedicated to blog regular Das.  Speedy recovery!  Don't make me come out there and get you!

Tagged: Hirosaku, Nodaiwa, Tokyo Tower

December 15, 2010: Tokyo Travel Day #9! Jelly update! Kondo! Shibuya!

While here in Tokyo, I've been checking in with my dogsitter, Christine, who has been taking care of the pooches while I've been away.  Today, I received the following update on the gang and a post-operative Jelly in particular:

"We are doing great. Jelly is recovering very well, today she was very happy to go out and sniff everything and I think she is starting to feel more herself again. Of course she is still on pain medication, but I haven't had to give her any of the additional pain drugs they gave me at the vet clinic.   We are doing leg massages and some exercises a few times a day.

She certainly has a good appetite, I have cut her food down to 1.5 pucks per meal and I've been giving her a little bit of pumpkin puree to help with her bowel movements. I will probably take her in to the vet on Wednesday when I take Max for the check up. I will be able to get her on the scale there and see if she has already lost some weight. It is going to help her a lot in her recovery.

I've attached two pictures. I gotta say, Jelly is such a trooper, I just love her to pieces:)

The rest of the gang is doing very well, loving all their walks and attention they get. Of course, Lulu always has to be the tough girl when it comes to other dogs…"

Jelly's wicked scar

Jelly

One of my aims over the course of this two-week trip is to introduce Ivon to a wide variety of Japanese foods.  On our first night in, we did teppanyaki and he sampled kobe beef for the first time.  Since then, we've covered sushi, ramen, yakiniku, yakitori, and izakaya.  Last night, we did tempura.   

We went to one of the higher-end tempura restaurants - Kondo in Ginza - where we were seated at a counter in order to encourage our chef in the fine art of batter-frying.

Our first appetizer was a raw green onion and some sort of bean. The onion was pretty damn raw.

Our second appetizer was a foursome of ankimo (monkfish liver), giant sea snail, rabe, and hirame sashimi. Ivon was horrified by the size of the sea snail, but ate it regardless. It would be the first of several horrors for him on this night.

Yuba. What Keiko refers to as tofu in its purest form. And, might I add, most delicious form. Of everything I had on this night, this was my favorite.

Ivon didn't quite know what to make of these flash fried prawn heads - when they were served and even after he'd eaten them. I loved their crispy texture and flavor.

And the rest of the prawn. This was more up Ivon's alley.

In addition to asparagus and onion, we were also served this tempura staple: the renkon (lotus root). Another favorite of mine.

We were served several types of white fish, all lightly battered before being flash-fried in sesame oil.

I ordered this terrific little item a la carte: sea urchin wrapped in shiso, then flash fried. I hesitated to pop it whole into my mouth but Ivon assured me it wasn't that bad. Then, once I'd put it in my mouth and bit into it, releasing its molten hot contents, Ivon added: "Sucker!"

Crispy sea eel. Sadly, we don't get a lot of sea eel (anago) in North America. Unagi (freshwater eel) is more of a sushi staple back home.

I got my revenge on Ivon later in the meal when I ordered this. When he asked what it was, I told him it was cod. And it is cod. Just - a specific part of the cod. Shirako. Look it up. Or check out the video.

December 14, 2010: Tokyo Travel Day #8! The Molecular Tapas Bar! Hokkaido Ramen Toro! Some so-so desserts! And work follows me halfway across the globe!

Back in Vancouver when I was organizing this trip (a.k.a. = our eating schedule) I asked Ivon if there was any particular food or restaurant he wanted to try.  To his credit, he wanted to try everything – but there was one place in particular place he wanted to visit while in town: The Molecular Tapas Bar at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, the home of molecular gastronomy here in Tokyo.  Yesterday marked my third visit to the restaurant and, as always, Chef Jeff Ramsey (a student of José Andrés back in Washington, D.C.) never fails to impress.

There were three of us at the late 8:30 p.m. seating (Ivon, Keiko, and myself) so there was plenty of opportunity to chat with the affable and entertaining Chef Ramsey while we enjoyed our meals…

Madarin Oriental Hotel ice cubes.

Ivon's pre-dinner cocktail. He was instructed to scrape the passionfruit down and into the glass with the rest of the drink.

Aperitif: We were instructed to drink the non-alcoholic fruit beverage from the 6:00 o clock position. When we did, we were surprised to discover that half the drink was warm while the other half was cold. Simultaneously. You could actually feel the dividing line in temperature as it played over your tongue.

38 Degree Salmon. The pork puff on the right was given a nice, sweet charge with the addition of maple syrup.

Bacalao Espuma. Keiko's favorite! The dish delivered the flavor of the salt cod dish in cream mousse form.

Chef Ramsey then demonstrated the process by which he creates veggie caviar…

December 13, 2010: Tokyo Travel Day #7! Pachon! Great Burger! Harajuku!

Having subsisted on nothing but fat, sugar, and alcohol for the past twenty-four hours, I was feeling a little light-headed as dinner time rolled in last night.  Under normal circumstances, I might have called it an early night but, of course, these were not normal circumstances.  I was in Tokyo and headed to Pachon, a restaurant recommended to me by the king of French dining (and portable salt pouch) himself, Stefan. 

As always, we had excellent directions to where we were headed along with an accompanying map.  And, as always, we got lost.  Fortunately, we made it in time for our reservation.  Our dining companion, Sachi, was already there.

Sachi

Our table was located not far from the fireplace that, besides warming the room, was used to roast everything from beef to duck that night.

We started with the amuse-bouche, a little something from the chef ("And I didn't get him anything!"to quote Peter DeLuise).

All three of us opted for the five course Gourmand menu. To star, I went with the duck foie gras with figs, muscal gelee, and honey-roasted spice bread. Terrific.

Next up was the soup course: soupe de truffe en croute.

The pastry shell was almost ethereal, breaking down easily and offering a nice textural addition to the flavorful truffle broth.

The fish of the day was a nicely cooked sea bass served in a saffron broth.

Le cassoulet Die de La Cuisine Occitane: duck confit, sausage, and white beans slow-roasted for hours.   The best I've ever had.

Throughout the evening, the chef would come out of the kitchen to survey the dining room and make sure all the diners were happily enjoying their meals.  I thought that a very nice touch.

Alas, I thought we'd get a choice of desserts as I was eyeing the souffle. Instead, I was served this gorgeous fruit-based dessert I didn't touch.

 I did, instead, avail myself of the dessert cart.  Mini macarons, chocolate biscuits, and pistache de provences.

After the excellent meal, we wandered back to the subway and passed this curious vehicle: 

I may not be fluent in French, but I understand to know this doesn't make sense. I mean, they're French words but they seem to have been assembled at random.

We caught the subway back, got off on the wrong stop, then Ivon got fed up and we caught a cab back to the hotel.  There, I documented some of my recent toy store haul…

Three types of Kit Kats: wasabi, sweet potato, and soy. Can't wait to sample.

Monster Hunter t-shirt. Not familiar with the show but thought what the hell.

Vash the Stampede. Awesome!

I was looking all over for one of these: Black Lagoon t-shirt featuring Revy.

I slept fitfully last night – which is about par for the course so far.  If it aint the alcohol or the rich food, it's the dry air and weird in-room temperatures that varied wildly between freezing cold and blistering hot those first few days until I discovered how to turn off the air-conditioner (which happened to be running along with the heat). 

Today, we met up with my friend Keiko who brought us to Great Burger for some pretty good burgers (the burgers are Alright Burgers were just so-so).  Following a ten minute wait (apparently anywhere worth eating/shopping/drinking in Tokyo requires a wait) we were eventually seated and served.

These particular burgers have clearly seen better days.

Casual eats at Great Burger

Chocolate-Maple thick shake = Greatest milkshake ever! I could've just had three of these.

I had the jalapeno cheeseburger with bacon, avocado, and barbecue sauce. Things got real messy, real fast. Ivon was mortified.

Interesting hat fashion. This is Harajuku after all.

After lunch, we walked the backstreets of Omotesando and, eventually, Harajuku…

We ran into this adorable fellow. I, of course, had to stop to say hi.

Ivon in Omotesando

Even though we'd just had lunch, I couldn't deny Ivon his first takoyaki experience.

Tasty octopus bits and cabbage in partially-cooked batter. Yum!

Ivon in happier times (aka before he popped the molten hot octopus ball in his mouth).

Awesome name for a cafe. You can buy one cup of coffee and then just hang around forever.

E.T., phone hospital.

Ivon: "Whether it's a hair salon or a restaurant, I aint going."

People lining up to eat pancakes.

Them's some big-ass earmuffs.

Meiji Jingu Mae - konde imasu!

I believe these next few pictures speak for themselves...

We visit Meiji Shrine

Take a gelato break (pistachio and salted caramel for me).

And Ivon bought a new pair of glasses -

NERD!!!

Tagged: Great Burger, Pachon

December 12, 2010: Tokyo Travel Day #6! Sawada! More Star Bar! We eat a half pound of fat for lunch! Strolling down Ginza Dori!

First, the Jelly update.  She's on her way home today!

So last night, I paid a return visit to one of my favorite sushi restaurants in Tokyo: Sawada.  I figured that since this was Ivon's first visit to the city, he should be treated to a true sushi feast.  And Sawada did not disappoint…

It's a tiny sushi-ya with counter only seating. Master Koji Sawada, with the help of his lovely assistant, works his magic on the other side.

After starting with some salted gingko nuts, we moved onto steamed abalone and abalone liver.

Then some sweet tako (octopus).

Sawada-san's more labor-intensive aburi method...

Yields delightfully delicious results. Here, the saba (mackerel).

The bonito was possessed of a sweet smokiness that lingered long after it had melted in your mouth.

Sawada-san at work on our maki.

Baby snapper maki with shiso and Japanese chives.

A first for me: cooked sea cucumber eggs. Texturally very close to crispy tofu skin but with a wonderful savory flavor all its own.

What looks like well-marbled beef is actually an expertly carved slab of toro (fatty tuna).

The toro was roasted over an open flame. And, yes, it tasted as good as it looks. Unbelievably good.

Then, we moved on to the nigiri.  We had ika (squid), what I believe was saury, two different kinds of horse mackerel, clam, ark shell, various tunas, hirame…

We were presented with a couple of the biggest prawn I've ever seen. Note the rainbow coloring of the tails.

And served.

Gorgeous gizzard shad.

Chu-toro. The wagyu of the sea!

Chuo-otoro.

And Otoro.

We were served up several more nigiri, then capped our meal with a terrific tamago.  The verdict?  Ivon said it was the best meal he's ever had.  Mission accomplished.  Since it was my return visit to the restaurant, I gifted Sawada-san a bottle of ice wine and then we were on our way. 

We were feeling pretty good, partly due to the incredible meal we'd enjoyed, partly due to the three carafes of premium sake we knocked back.  And so, following a late night stroll through Ginza…

…we found ourselves back at what is fast-becoming our favorite watering hole, Star Bar, where we sampled a few more of Master Kishi-san's creations…

My new drink of choice: the Moscow Mule. Served in a copper cup!

The Star Bar version of the Dark and Stormy made with dark rum and fresh pomegranate juice.

On Ivon's insistence, we tried Abstinthe. Kishi-san had to open the bottle for us. We likened it to the flavor of Pernod with a turpentine kick.

Hair of the dog

It was admittedly a rough night after that and I ended up sleeping in to 9:00 a.m. the following morning.  Ivon was up at 8:00 a.m. and took a stroll in nearby Hibiya Park where he claims he saw a family of feral cats living in the park.  We walked through later that day but there was no sign of feral cats.  I wonder what color these feral cats were.  I'm guessing pink maybe?

We headed out at about 11:00 for lunch.

As the stores set to open, people line up outside the entrances in anticipation. In anticipation for what, exactly, I'm not sure. I guess they simply love their shopping.

Speaking of line-ups, there's always a line-up at this waffle place so, on our way to lunch, Ivon decided to find out way. Well, it turns out it's because their chocolate waffles are awesome. We breached strict etiquette by actually eating them on the go.

After looking for an appropriate lunch spot, we settled on a yakiniku/barbecue grill join on the seventh floor of some building.  We were seated in a tiny two-seat table and presented with a menu that broke down the entire cow by cut.  We ultimately setttled for something called the "premium" cut.  To Ivon's horror, we later realized that, apparently, "premium" is synonymous with "fat".

That is some major marbling!

Following lunch, Ivon was feeling a little on the queasy side, so he decided to head back to the hotel for an hour or so to recuperate.  For my part, I decided to counter the fat I'd just consumed with my go-to cure-all: sugar!

It looks like a sandwich but the meatballs and baguette are actually cream-filled choux pastry.

Feeling much better later, I stopped by the Pierre Marcolini Cafe and dropped off some doughnuts for the gals, then took a stroll through Hibiya Park. Didn't spot any feral cats.

Wonder if Ivon meant these guys.

Ivon was also feeling much better later, so we decided to check out the Ginza area – specifically Ginza Dori which is open to foot traffic on the weekend.  As we were walking along, we were stopped by a Japanese television crew and interviewed about the differences between Christmas in Japan and Christmas in North America. 

My impression was that, while North American Christmas was a time for family, Japanese Christmas was a holiday for kids and couples.  Still, for what it was worth, Tokyo out-Christmases any North American city I've ever visited.

Our interviewer

They asked us if we were familiar with Christmas cake.  Apparently, it's tradition for the Japanese to eat strawberry shortcake this time of year (which I'd choose over fruit cake any day).  They also asked us if we were familiar with the tradition of the Christmas boot, a small plastic boot that is filled with traditional Christmas treats (ie. seasame crackers) and gifted to kids.  I pointed out that we hang stockings instead of boots but it's a testament to the spirit of Christmas that we can come together in communal footwear-stuffing.

We walked around some more and saw this.

And this.

And this lovely pantsuit.

And then it was back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. 

Next up: Pachon!  My toy store haul!  Out and about with Keiko!

Tagged: Sawada, Star Bar